NYPD Officer testifies about Eric Garner chokehold death

A grand jury heard testimony Friday from a police officer involved in the chokehold death of an unarmed man, a development signaling that it could be close to deciding whether he should face criminal charges in the volatile case.

Officer Daniel Pantaleo spent about two hours giving the Staten Island panel his account of the videotaped death of Eric Garner, said the officer’s attorney, Stuart London.

“We’re thankful that they listened intently to his testimony,” London said.

The grand jury began hearing evidence in late September. A spokesman for Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan declined to comment on when it’s expected to vote on whether to indict the officer, but a decision is expected before the end of the year.

Pantaleo and other New York Police Department officers stopped Garner on the street on July 17 on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.